Collapsible and separable table



w. G. CRAMER ET AL 2,101,573

COLLAPSIBLE AND SEPARABLE TABLE Dec. 7, 193 7.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15,-1936 INVENTORS Wa/fer 6. Crarner yen fine/ e lier J 1 2' BY J ATTORNEYS Dec. 7, 1937. w. G. cRAMR ET AL COLLABSIBLE AND SEPARABLE TABLE 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1936 INVENTORS ll alier G Kramer Eugene Bac/ze/zer Patented Dec. 7, 1937 I v i ATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE AND SEPARABLE' TABLE 7 Walter G. Cramer and Eugene Bachelier, Cincinnati, Ohio Application January 15, 1936, Serial No. 59,255

6 Claims.

This invention relates toa collapsible and separable table. One object of the invention is to provide a lightweight collapsibletable, such as is adapted for card game use, which may be converted into a plurality of individual smaller service tables for the serving of refreshments or lunches, each of which individual service tables has its own supporting leg or standard.

Another object is to provide a device of the character stated, which is simple and inexpensive, and which can be stored in a small space or folded to a compactly collapsed condition for carrying when not in use. 7

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device when set up as a four-leggedtable.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the small individual service tables resultingfrom detaching and transposing parts of the Fig. 1 device.

Fig. 3 is an inverted view of the Fig. 2 table, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an inverted view similar to Fig. 3,- showing the table section with the leg or supporting standard collapsed and folded in position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an upper leg section.

" Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a lower leg section.

Fig. 7 is a plan View of a collar or retainer for the extendible feet of a lower leg section.

The following description and accompanying drawings, are intended to disclose a general combination of elements whereby a folding table of ordinary size may be converted into a plurality of individual smaller service tables each having its own single leg or supporting standard. The details of construction in the one example disclosed, therefore, are not to be considered limitations upon the scope of the invention, as numerous modifications will at once become apparent, especially in regard to refinements in the leg construction, the variouspivot means, and the clamping and securing elements per se. It should be understood also that a change in the material of which certain parts of the device are made, will likely lead to obvious modifications in the details, all of which are to be embraced by the appended claims, except where such claims may'specifically carry the disclosed details as essential or selfimposed limitations. With the above stated understanding, the single exemplary construction disclosed in the drawings will be described in detail.

The table as disclosed in Fig. 1 is constituted of aplurality of table top sections l2, l3, I4, and I5, fastened together as indicated, and supported upon a plurality of legs l6. Each of the legs is fastened at its upper end to one corner of a table top section. The means for associating a leg with a top section-such as 15, for example, may comprise a corner leg holder in the form of a short length I! of split tubing, with a bolt I8 passing diametrally therethrough at right angles to the split IS. The bolt has a head 26 abutting a side piece 2| of thetop section, there being provided a Wing nut or its equivalent 22 on the threaded end 23 of the bolt. The tube is adapted to be rotated about the bolt l8, so that the axis of the tube may assume a position at right angles to the table top when the table is set up as illustrated in Fig. l, or it may assume a position such that its axis lies in substantial parallelism with the table top section, as disclosed in Fig. 4, when the leg is to be collapsed and folded.

When the table is to be converted into a plurality of individual service tables, a leg such as It is removed from the corner leg holder Il andinsorted in a central leg holder 24, which may be a contractible tubular member similar to ll. The tubular member 24 may be supported within a central block 25 secured to the under face of the table section I5. The central tube 24 likewise may have a bolt 26 passing therethrough at right angles to split 21, said bolt having'a threaded end 28 for reception of a thumb screw 29. The thumb screw is adapted to bear upon a longitudinal slidable sleeve 30, opposite ends of which sleeve abut the thumb screw and the split tube, so that the tube may be contracted by tightening the thumb screw upon the sleeve 30.

The corner leg holder or tube IT, or the central leg holder or tube 24, may be used selectively for securing a leg such as it, depending upon whether the table is to be set up as disclosed in Fig. 1, or as disclosed in Fig. 2. The upper end of each leg is bifurcated as at 31 to enter either of the tubes H or 24, and to receive either the bolt 18 or the bolt 26, within the slot 32 of the leg. The upper end of the leg may be protected by a tubular jacket 33 of metal or other substantial material.

The various'legs it are identical, wherefore a description of the leg indicated by means of Figs. 5 and 6, will suffice for the other legs also. The upper leg section 34 is made slightly shorter than the side piece 2| of the top section, so that the upper leg part may be folded within the confines of the top section l5, as disclosed in Fig. 4. The lower section 35 of the leg is made slightly shorter than the side piece 36, so that it also may assume a position within the confines of the top section, in substantial parallelism with the side piece 36. The upper leg section is suitably joined to the lower leg section 35, such as by means of a pin or pivot 31 which extends through openings 38 and 39 in the upper and lower leg sections, respectively. Adjacent to the lug 40 which carries the perforation 39, the lower leg section may be provided with a tubular jacket 4| from which are struck a series of perforated lugs 42-43, said lugs providing bearings for pins 44. In the preferred construction, there are provided three pairs of lugs 4243, and three cooperative pins or pivots 44, whereby three extendible feet may be pivotally mounted upon the tubular jacket 4|. Each of the feet is indicated by a reference character 45. When the table is set up in accordance with Fig. 1, the feet are collapsed or contracted to provide a straight leg as indicated, but when the individual service tables are desired, the feet are extended or expanded outwardly at an angle to the axis of the leg, as illustrated in Fig. 2. If desired, any suitable resilient means may be provided for yieldingly maintaining the extendible feet in the Fig. 2 position. Such means may be in the form of small leaf springs 46, or the equivalent. As a means of maintaining the upper and lower leg sections in axial alignment when necessary, there may be provided a slidable sleeve 4! (Figs. 1 and 4) adapted to slide downwardly in abutment upon the top edges of the various lugs 42 and 43, thereby to embrace the tubular jacket 4| while at the same time embracing a portion 48 of the upper leg section. Instead of the sliding sleeve 41, a suitable latching means may be employed for maintaining the upper and lower leg sections in axial alignment when the table is set up either as disclosed in Fig. 1, or as disclosed in Fig. 2. It is to be understood also that more than three legs may be provided in the lower leg section,

if desired. 7

When setting up the table in accordance with the Fig. 1 illustration, it is necessary to secure the table top sections 12-, l3, l4, and I5, to one another. Any suitable means may be employed for this purpose, there being shown by way of example, the thumb screws 49, each of which has a threaded end '50 for engagement with a threaded plate 51 carried by an adjacent table top section. The thumb screw may be of ordi nary construction, and it is preferably perma nently associated with a table top section. This may be accomplished by means of a plate fixed to a side piece 52 of the table top, there being a fixed collar 53 on the thumb screw and a shoulder 54, the collar and shoulder being at opposite sides of the plate so that the thumb screw may be rotated without disassociation thereof from the plate. Plates such as 5|, having internally threaded perforations 56, are fixed to certain side pieces of the table tops, so that the tops may be connected together in accordance with Fig. 1. If desired, additional thumb screws and cooperative plates 5| may be provided on other side pieces of the table top sections, for arrangement of thetop sections in a straight line, to furnish an oblong table. In fact, the table top sections may be arranged and secured together to result in the formation of tables hav ing various othe'r artistic shapes.

It will be noted that the pivots l8 and 3! of Fig. 4 are disposed at right angles to one another, so that the collapsible leg associatedwith each table top section, folds compactly relative to its own section. As indicated in Fig. 4, a table top section such as I 5 is a complete unit, when considered from the viewpoint of an individual service table. The upper arid'lower leg sections, when folded, rest in substantial parallelism with two adjacent sides of the table top section. The character 51 indicates a transverse depression or recess in the inner face of the side piece 2|, for reception of thetubular leg holder 11 when the leg is extended, this construction providing a means in the nature of a snap joint for main- 'taining the leg in such position.

The retainer 58 disclosed in Fig. 7, is adapted to be slipped onto the lower end of the lower leg section, as shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose of maintaining the extendible feet in the contracted state. It should be understood that the member 58 may be omitted when the lower leg section is constructed without the use of the yielding means 46, or, if desired, a suitable latch means may be substituted for the member 58.

Having fully disclosed one exemplary and operative construction embodying the invention as required by the patent statutes, we claim:

1. A table comprising a plurality of separate top sections detachably secured together, and including a plurality of legs, and means for securing the legs selectively to corner locations or central locations of the separate top sections.

2. A table comprising a plurality of separate top sections detachably secured together to furnish a top surface, a plurality of table supporting legs each having extendible feet adapted for supporting the legs individually in an upright position, and means for selectively attaching each of the legs to a separate top section, either near the center thereof or near an edge thereof, to convert the structure from a single table to a plurality of individual one-legged service tables.

3. A table comprising a plurality of units, each unit comprising a table top section and a supporting leg, movable feet on each leg, to be ex tended or contracted according to whether or not the top section is to be supported solely by a leg, and jointing means for the leg whereby the leg may be collapsed for disposition Within the confines of its associated top section.

4. A table comprising a plurality of units, each unit comprising a table top section and a supporting leg, movable feet on each leg, to be extended or contracted according to whether or not the top section is to be supported solely by a leg, jointing means for the leg whereby the leg may be collapsed for disposition within the confines of its associated top section, and means for detachably connecting a plurality of such units together, to provide a sectional table.

5. In combination, a table top section having a peripheral edge, a leg foldable adjacent to said top section, means for mounting said leg selectively near the center of the top section-or near the peripheral edge thereof, and extendible feet on the leg movable selectively to out-stretched or contracted positions with respect to the axis of the leg.

6. In combination, a tabletop section having a peripheral edge, a leg foldable adjacent to said top section, means for mounting said leg selectively near the center of the top section or near the peripheral edgethereof, and extendible feet on the 'leg movable selectively to outstretched or contracted positions with respect to the axis of the leg, and means carried by said top section for detachably connecting said top section to a similar top section.

WALTER G. CRAMER. EUGENE BACHELIER. 

